Kent State University
23-20, 0
University of Toledo
15-28, 0
Flashes Edge Rockets in Series Opener
5/3/2019 10:57:00 PM | Baseball
KENT, Ohio –The Kent State University baseball team (23-20) improved to 10-7 in the Mid-American Conference, earning a 6-3 victory over Toledo (15-28, 3-13 MAC) at Schoonover Stadium Friday night. Redshirt sophomore Ben Carew went 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and sophomore Michael Turner drove in three runs on the night.
Senior Connor Wollersheim (5-5) earned his fifth win on the bump for the Flashes, tossing 5.0 innings with eight punch outs. Junior Tyler Drabick picked up his third save of the season, spinning 3.2 scoreless innings of relief while allowing just two of 12 batters faced reach base.
The Rockets struck first, managing a run in the top of the first inning, but the Flashes responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame. Carew led off with a double belted to right-center field and was eventually scored on a sacrifice fly to shallow left field by Turner.
In the bottom of the third, senior Josh Hollander legged out a bunt single and advanced to third on a single by Carew. Freshman Collin Mathews gave the Flashes the lead with the second sacrifice fly ball of the evening. Turner followed with an RBI-double, scoring Carew, and senior Kian O'Brien laced an RBI-single up the middle to bring the score to 4-1.
Toledo responded with two-runs in the next inning, stringing together a walk and a pair of hits, but again the Flashes retaliated with a run in the bottom of the frame, and RBI-single off the bat of senior Pete Schuler.
Mathews legged out a triple to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for the Golden Flashes, and went on to score on Turner's second sacrifice fly of the game.
The defenses took over for the rest of the night as the score remained 6-3 through four innings and the Flashes held onto the victory.
The Kent State offense collected nine hits across seven starters on the night. Carew extended his hitting streak to nine games dating back to April 19 with a pair of hits and has now reached base in each of the last 24 games. O'Brien also added a pair of hits with an RBI.
The Flashes will face the Rockets for the second game of the series at Schoonover Stadium on Saturday, May 4 at 4 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wollersheim, Connor (5-5)
L: SMITH, Doug (3-4)
S: Drabick, Tyler (3)
Batting:
RBI: DAVIS, Darryn 1 ; THOMPSON, Ryan 1 ; JEFFERS, David 1
SH: COMPTON, Andrew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BOSS, Brad 1 ; SCHWARTZENBERGER, Z. 1 ; THOMPSON, Ryan 1
SB: SCHWARTZENBERGER, Z. 1
CS: SCHWARTZENBERGER, Z. 1
Batting:
2B: Carew, Ben 1 ; Turner, Michael 1 ; Parks, Pavin 1
3B: Mathews, Collin 1
RBI: Mathews, Collin 1 ; Turner, Michael 3 ; O'Brien, Kian 1 ; Schuler, Pete 1
SF: Mathews, Collin 1 ; Turner, Michael 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Carew, Ben 2 ; Mathews, Collin 1 ; Turner, Michael 1 ; Parks, Pavin 1 ; Hollander, Josh 1
CS: O'Brien, Kian 1
